Hi everyone! I’m getting more serious about dust collection for my little shop in my basement. I’m a casual woodworker, so I’m trying to keep my dust collection expenses reasonable. For background, I have a Grizzly cabinet TS, Router and router table, Delta 14” Bandsaw, a Rigid Planer, Grizzly Jointer, and a couple of various power tools (sander, etc…) that could use dust collection.

I recently purchased a used 1.5 HP Jet DC1100c canister DC unit and am now to the point where I will be installing rigid tubes down the center of my basement then branching off to each tool. I’ve read through a lot of DC stuff on the interwebs, but I’d like another set of opinions.

As I design my system, I have the choice to run 6” or 4” tubes from my DC unit. The DC1100c comes with a Y-connector that sits on the 6” intake that will split it into two 4” intakes. The question is: Should I run 6” tubes from the DC unit and split them off into the machines as I go, or use the splitter at the DC unit and run 4” tubes?

My tablesaw and jointer are both set up to accept 4” fittings already, so I’m going to have to reduce anyway at one point or another. Thoughts?

I am leaning toward the 6” tubes based on what I’ve read, I’m just unsure. Help!

6 replies so far

To some extent, it depends on the length of your runs. I would run the 6” tubing to as close to the machines as possible, then use 5” flex tubing to get to the 4” fittings and use a 5”-4” reducer for the final step down. HTH

With 1.5 hp you do not have enough CFM to gain anything with a 6” pipe. You will just slow the velocity down and risk heavy dust drop-out in the pipe which will eventually plug.Two 4” pipes will be almost the same situation.If you check the diameter of the fan inlet, it might not be a full 6”. Most small systems like this are actually 5”. And 5” pipe is hard to find, and expensive.

-- Michael :-{| Don't anthropomorphise your tools, they hate it when you do that.

I’m not sure which one would be better because I have never used 6” but I can tell you that mine is all run in 4” and it works well. I have blast gates at all my machines and only open the one I am using. My shop vac seems to work better on my bandsaw, I think because it is such a small pickup under the table.

GT350 said “My shop vac seems to work better on my bandsaw, I think because it is such a small pickup under the table.”

Yes, that’s a good point. For tools with a small collection point, or where the chips are generated with high velocity the shop vac can work better. Most vacs generate between 65” to 90” of pressure but only about 100 to 125 CFM of air volume..

A good candidate for collection by shop vac is a router table. There may be only a collection hood area of about 3” x 3”, which is 9 sq. inches, or .0625 sq. ft. You need about 1600 ft per minute air velocity to capture the chips coming off a router bit so .0625 sq. ft. X 1600 FPM = 100 CFM.. Easily within the capacity of most shop vacs.

A dust collector will have more than enough CFM capacity to handle a router table, but will be stalled for flow and will more easily plug the pipe unless you have some dilution air going in to keep everything moving. It can be made to work, but is just not as efficient as a shop vac in this particular application.

-- Michael :-{| Don't anthropomorphise your tools, they hate it when you do that.

@AandCstyle – My entire basement is about 23’ X 23’, so the max length I’m talking about is a 15’ run.

@Crank49 – I checked the DC and it is 6” at the fan inlet. But your point about my DC not being powerful enough to warrant a 6” pipe is well taken. Also, I have an incra router table and fence system attached to my TS, so the fence has a DC port running the length of the router fence. It’s 2.5”, so I’ll have to reduce there.

@GT350 – Yeah, the Delta has that little 1” DC port that doesn’t help much. I saw someone modify their Delta BS by cutting a whole in the Cast iron into the bottom wheel well. It was amazing. But I don’t think I’m up to that project yet, so your shop vac suggestion is well taken.

What I have been doing in a similar situation is to use a flexible stretch type of 4 inch dust collection hose. My tools are on mobile bases that I roll to the middle of the shop for use. I connect the power, connect the dust hose with a quick connect fitting that is permanently attached to the hose and go to work. I use a shop vac wih sanders and smaller tools trying to collect all the dust and chips I can. I recently added an air purifier and can really tell the diference. I will use a leaf blower to blow dust and chips out occasionally.

Most of the time I have safety glasses, a surgical mask and hearing protection. My dog does not recognize me with this outfit.